India must win eight remaining Tests to contend for No. 1 in WTC 2025-27
After India beat Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the first Test at Galle, the Shubman Gill-led side must win all eight of their remaining matches in the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 to retain a realistic chance of finishing top of the points table, according to an analysis published on August 20, 2026.
India entered the 2025-27 WTC cycle as a two-time runners-up, having reached the finals in 2021 and 2023, but failed to qualify for the 2025 final and began the current cycle with defeats to England and South Africa, including a 2-0 home whitewash by the Proteas. The victory at Galle raised India’s tally to five wins and lifted their points percentage from 48.15 to 53.33%, but they remain fifth on the standings while Australia lead on 77.78%.
The Galle result was described in the source as a positive start to India’s nine remaining games in the WTC cycle, though the piece notes India now have eight matches left: one further Test against Sri Lanka, two against New Zealand and a five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.
Mathematically, the clearest route outlined for India to reach the top is to win all eight remaining fixtures; that would yield 160 additional points and a maximum possible points percentage of 74.07%. The article cautions India must also avoid draws and situations that would lead to points deductions for penalties.
Australia, currently atop the table, are due to contest the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy with India; the analysis states a 5-0 sweep by India could move them ahead of Australia and push Australia well below India’s maximum PCT of 74.07%, even if Australia did not suffer further defeats elsewhere. New Zealand sit above India on the table with a PCT of 72.22%, and a loss to India would affect New Zealand’s ability to finish first.
South Africa and Bangladesh are also cited as teams India must overtake: South Africa are listed at 75% and Bangladesh at 66.67%, with the article stating South Africa would need at least three defeats and Bangladesh at least two defeats, respectively, to make India’s climb to the summit more likely. The piece also recalls that India topped the league stage in the inaugural 2019-21 WTC season and notes Rishabh Pant is currently India’s leading run-getter in WTC history, with Shubman Gill second.
For India to convert the Galle momentum into a genuine bid for first place, the immediate practical requirement is explicit in the analysis: win the eight remaining Tests — one more vs Sri Lanka, two vs New Zealand and five vs Australia — to reach a maximum PCT of 74.07% and secure a fair chance of finishing at the top of the WTC 2025-27 points table.